Profile and cross-section plotters.



E. A. ZORSCH.

PROFILE AND CROSS SECTION PLOTTBRS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13, 1913.

Patented J an. 6, 1914.

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uuLUMBIA PIANOGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON. DY c,

E. A. ZORSCH. PROFILE AND GROSS SECTION PLOTTBRS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13, 1913. 1,083,421 Patented Jan.6,1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ma E WITNESSES:

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0WASH|NG`TDN, D. C.

E. A. ZORSCH.

PROFILE AND GROSS SECTION PLOTTERS.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 13, 1913.

1,088,421. Patented .mn-.6,1914

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Ano/mfr COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH C0.. wAsHlNuroN. D. c,

UNTTED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

EDWARD A. ZORSCI-I, 0F ROCHESTER, NEW YGRK.

PROFILE AND CROSS-SECTION PLOTTERS.

T 0 all wlw/mJ t may Concern Be it known'that I, EDWARD A. ZoRsoH, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Profile and Cross-Section Plotters, which improvement is fully set forth in the following speciication and shown in the accompanying drawings.

The present invent-ion relates to an instrument for simultaneously determining the rectangular coordinates of any point, and is to be used more particularly for plotting and checking cross sections and profiles of railroad, roadway or other similar work.

As it is well known, in railroad and other road work, it is customary to make profiles or cross sections of the surface of the earth where the road is to be cut. This is usually done on what is called profile or cross section paper consisting of a sheet of paper having its surface divided up into a number of small squares by crossing lines, the distance between any two lines representing a certain number of feet or miles, thus permitting the sketching or drawing of the pro` file or cross section of the earth in a short space of time.

Heretofore, a great deal of trouble has been experienced because the draftsman, in making the profile or cross sect-ion, or because the party checking such profile or cross section would fail to count properly the spaces and as each space represents in some instances quite a number of feet, this error becomes very important, as estimates for excavation are based on these profiles or cross sections and the error of even a few feet either way might materially affect such estimate. It has been impractical to provide numbers for the lines of the profile or cross section sheets as these numbers would not only be in the way but they could not be used for all kinds of work because the datum line varies with different work.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an instrument which may be adjusted to correspond to the height of the datum line and which will eliminate the heretofore serious errors by indicating the lines on the profile or cross section sheet' at which the profile or crosssection' is to be marked. In fact, the profile or cross section may be drawn on paper without the profile lines.

The instrument may also be used for tak- Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Application led June 13, 1913.

Patented Jan. 6, 1914.

serial No. 773,384.

ing measurements or checking from previously drawn profiles or cross sections.

To these and other ends the invention consists in certain parts and combinations of -parts all of which will be hereinafter described, the novel features being pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is' a plan view of an instrument constructed in accordance with the present improvements; Fig. 2 is a section on the line a-a, Fig. l; Fig. 3 is an end view of the base member; Fig. 4 is a section on the line b-b, Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a section on the line c-c, Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a detail view showing fragments of the tape employed in this embodiment; Fig. 7 is a development of fragments of the cylinder arranged in the base member; Fig. 8 is a plan view of another embodiment of this invention; Fig. 9 is a section on the line d-d, Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a rear view of the base member; Fig. 11 is an end view of the base member; Fig. 12 is a detail view of fragments of the tape used in the base member of this embodiment of the invention; Fig. 13 is a plan view of still another embodiment of the invention; Fig. 14 is a section on the line e-e, Fig. 13; and Fig. 15 is a section on the line f-f, Fig. 13.

Referring to the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 7, 1 indicates a base member and 2 an arm extending at right angles to the base member and guided longitudinally of the latter. Preferably, the base member has a straight edge 3 and is formed with a longitudinally-extending guide or way in the form of a groove 4 extending longitudinally of the base member and parallel with the straight edge 3. Arranged to operate on the guide is a block 5 to which the arm 2 is secured, said block being extended upwardly at 6 to form a linger piece through which said block and the arm 2 are moved.

Mounted on the base or guide member 1 is an adjustable scale member whichpreferably is in the form o-f a drum 7 having a sheet of celluloid or other suitable material S adhesively or otherwise secured thereto and provided with a plurality of ysuitable scales. In this instance, the drum has twelve scales, the Iirst scale having indications from one to ten stations of one hundred feet each, the second. from ten totwenty and so on up to ninety to .onehundred In addition vto indications for every tive stations of one hundred feet each up to one hundred and another scale is provided with zero at the center thereotl and indications for 4every tive feet up to titty on opposite sides of the zero mark all of which Will be seen by referring to Fig. 7 of the drawings, this latter scale being more particularly designed for cross section vvork. The drum 7 may be mounted Within the casing 1 on the rear side of the guide 4, and the casing 1 is provided with a longitudinal slot or view opening 9 through which any one of the above scales may be viewed, the drum being rotatvable by a linger piece 10 at one end of the body casing 1 to present any one ot the scales to the view opening and a spring) 10IL being arranged at tie outer end. of the 1 ase i member to produce friction on the shatt ot the fdrum and thus prevent the too tree movement of the latter.

The lateral extending arm 2 carries with it an index for cooperation with the exposed scale on the base member, the index, inthis instance, being in the form of an arm which extends from the rear sidel ot' the upright member 5 over the view opening 9 and carries a transparent or celluloid block 12, the edge 13 of which forms the index for cooperating with the scales on the drum 7.

. rfhe arm^`2lis provided with a straight edge 1d `Which lalines With the index or edge 13. 'DieV straight edge 14 is in the form ot a Ipiece of Celluloid 15` of triangular cross section secured to the arm 2 byscreivs or other i :fastenings 16 and havingsu'itable but u'ncharacterized graduations 17 thereon.r The laterally-extending arm'also carries an adjustable scale which in this, instance, is in the form of a tape 18 shown in fragments Y i in Fig. 6 and having suitable divisions thereon, said tape having any desired number of scales for securing the desired results. The arm 2 is preferably provided with grooves or Ways 19 and 20 onopposite sides thereof for the reception of the tape 13, the latter being passed about a loosely journaled pin (i1-'guide 21 at the inner end of the arm and having its opposite ends secured to two rollers 22 and 23 at the outer end ot the arm, said rollers being journaled in a frame 25 which also carries idlersV 26 for guiding the tape inthe grooves 19 and 20. A spring 27 secured at 28 between its ends, bears on the shafts of the rollers 22 and 23 and frictionally holdsy them against accidental movement. Thumb pieces 29 may be provided on the shafts of the rollers to shift the tape 18.

A description of the use ot' this instrument lin checking profiles and cross sections Will indicate itsv use in plotting them.

Incheclting a profile, with the instrument shown in Figsi 1-to 7, the straight edge 3 ot the base member is placed on the irst'datum line, below the lowest point of the proiile.

Assume the lowest point has an elevation of 752:1- t'eet, and that the profile sheet has divisions in which the vertical distance betvveen two lines is equal to one foot and one inch thereon equals tive feet. The .first datum line belovv would be 750. The tape 13 isadjusted so that 50 thereon, in that section Where the scale reads 1-5 will exactly coincide with the straight edge 3, the '700 being eliminated trom consideration so far as the instrument is concerned. The ad- Iiustable scale 7 which is used tor horizontal measurements is turned so that the desired scale thereon is viewable through the opening Assume that the starting point or station is thirty-one hundred feet from a certain point, the scale member 7 is turned so that the scale, beginning with 39, is vieu'- able through the opening 9. The slide arm 2 is nou' moved until its index edge 13 registers with the point 31 on thescale member 7 and in that position the who-le instrument is shifted horizontally until the straightedg;A 11 engages the starting point. The height oit the profile is checked by reading the scale 1S in connection with scale 17.` The slide arm 2 is now moved to the right, assuming,r that the stations increase in that direction, until the straight edge 14. coincides With the next point to be checked. This movement can be continued until the slide 2 reaches the right hand end oi the guide or base member 1 and until the vertical dimensions of the proiile reach the limits ot the scale 17. It it is desired to move the slide arm 2 beyond the point 4-0, the scale member 7 is turned to bring th-e next scale, beginning vvithtO, in view, and the base or guide member 1 is shifted bodily to bringS this 40 to the position ot the previo-us T'O, the slide arm also being shifted to the let't hand end of the base or guide member and the checking continued until linished. It the dat-um line should begin at anyA other number the tape 1S may be shifted to bring the desired number into coincidence with the straight edge The tape 1S carries a number oit' scales in which the divisions ot one inch thereon are equal to other numbers ot feet so that the scale is adapted for large or small Work. On the scale S, one inch'represen'ts' a greater distance than on the scale 18 but this is customary in making profiles as it gives a more clearly defined view of' the profile.` For cross section work the last scale on the cylinder 7 is used as. in this instance, measurement is taken from the center line of the road.

In the embodiment of the invention shoivn in Figs. 3 to 12, instead otemploying an adjustable scale member in the iorln of a drum, such scale member is in thev form of an adjustable tap-e similar tothe adjustable tape used on the sliding arm out the hereinbefore described cm`l; odiment and suitably graduated. The sliding arm :Z is the same as in Fig. l as are also the tape 18, pulleys rotary drum on the guide member. In thisv embodiment, the guide member is provided with grooves 30 and 3l in opposite faces thereof for the reception of the tape 32, the latter being passed about a roller 33 at one end of the guide member la and being secured at its opposite ends to rollers 34 and 35 on the frame 36 at the opposite end of the guide member la. .The rollers 34 and 35 are provided with thumb pieces 38 a-nd are held frictionally by a spring 39 secured midway between its ends at 40 and bearing upon saidY rollers. Fra-gmentary portions of the tape 32 are shown in Fig. l2. The tape has advantages over the drum in that a greater number of scales may be provided thereon of a suitable size and it is po-ssible to adjust.

the scales to begin with fractions of the decades without shifting the base member l which is impossible with the rotary drum. This arrangement also permits the scale to be brought closer to the straight edge 3 and, for this reason, the guiding connection between the sliding arms and the base or guide member is different, the lat-ter being provided with a longitudinal groove 4a in an` upstanding po-rtion 4l for receiving a guide piece or rib 42 which is carried by the block 5a to which the arm 2 is secured, said block also having a linger piece 6a by which the slide arm is shifted and carrying the index 13a. This connection between the slide arm and the guide member permits the disconnection of the parts while rigidly holding them in their sliding relation which is also true of all the illustrated embodiments. The operation of this construction is substantially the same as that shown in Fig. l exceptthat the tape can be more easily adjusted.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 13 to l5, the construction is designed only for cross section' work and, for this reason, the base member is not provided with an adjustable scale and the sliding arm is not so long as in the other embodiments since only one scale of measurements appears thereon. Referring more particularly to this embodiment, 1b indicates the base member provided with a straight edge 3 and a longitudinallyextending groove or way 4a which is similar in construction and arrangement to the way 0n the embodiment shown in Fig. 8, the way being formed in an upstanding portion 41 and receiving a guide piece 42 on the block 5, said block having a linger piece 6a carrying the index 13a. The index moves over the scale 43 which is preferably inthe -form of a strip of Celluloid countersunk in the base member and having divisions thereon with suitable characters for cross section Work. In this instance, one inch on this scale represents live feet and the zero point on the scale is at the center thereof and the characters increase from said Zero point to the opposite ends of the base member.

The arm 2, which is secured to the block 5a, is the same as in the other embodiments except that the tape 18a is endless and is shifted in a different manner. The shifting means is arranged on a frame 25' at the outer end of the arm and is in the form of a single roller about which the tape is passed. This roller is shown in section in Fig. l5 and comprises a spindle 44 having a surrounding rubber collar 45 and a projecting thumb piece 46. The spindle turns within an adjustable bearing piece 47 and is held in the latter by a nut 48. The bearing piece 47 is adjustable on the frame 25a in the direction of the length of the arm 2 and, to this end, the frame 25a is bifurcated and receives the externally squared bearing 47 between the arms of the bifurcation, said bearing being provided with shoulders 49 at one end to coperate with one side of the frame and with a nut 50 at the other end to bear against the washer 5l which coperates with the other side of the frame. To adjust the roller, the nut 50 is loosened permitting the bearing 47 to be shifted within the bifurcated portion of the frame 25a to take up or let out the endless scale tape 18a which passes about the rubber collar 45, kthe latter producing a necessary friction thereon and the side walls of the bearing being slotted for the passage of the tape. A guide 52 may be provided on the frame 25Ll for the tape.

In cross sectionworlr, it is customary to i employ the center line of the road as a base of measurement, the cross sections being developed with relation to this center line. The base member in thisembodiment has divisions extending in opposite directions from the center of the base member, and these divisions, owing to the fact that the widths of the roads are small, are arranged on a rigid or non-adjustable scale member.

In all of the illustrated embodiments of this invention, there is provided a base member formed with a longitudinally extending scale which, in some instances, is adjustable to obtain a greater range of measurement. This base member has a straight edge and is formed with a guide extending substantially parallel to the straight edge, the latter being placed upon the datum line of the drawing and the guide serving to direct a laterally .extending arm along the ylength of the base member 4for plotting or checking proliles o-r cross sections. This laterally extending arm also has an adjustable scale, the divisions of whichA are caused to bear a certain relation to the straight edge of the base member thus determining the ylertical positioirof a point and index onv thead'jjiistable arm co5pt-irate s':witV e thescale on the base member for ydette rmining th; horizontal position ofa point.

All embodifm'ents ot the invention also have the baise 'member provided livitli pointed projections 453 on thel under tace thereof to hold the basememher against inlovenient and the straight'l'edge; ofthe'b'ase member has a scaleV in proximity l'thereto witlrthe zero mark at the center and the charactersincreasing toward the ends of the base member. A

lVliat claim as my invention desire to secureby Letters Patent is: i.

1Q Af 'nstrumentofithe class described comprising a base member provided vvit'ha longitudinally extending scale, an arm extending at right angles totand adjustable longitudinally of 'saitl'ba'se member, said arm being provided with a longitiidinally extending' scale and with an index for cooperating witli the scaleon the base inember, the sca-le on said armbeing adjiis'table and being in the Yform of a flexible tape.v

2. An Vinstrument of the class desecribed comprisinga base member provided Wit-li a longitudinally extending scale, an arm extending at right angles to and adjustable longitudinally of said ybase member,y said arm being provided Awith a longitudinally extending scale and with an index for cooperating with thescale onthe base member, the scale on said arm being adjustable and being inthe form lof tlexibletape and a pair of rollers each secured yto one end of the tape.

3. An instrument of the class described comprising a base member provided with a longitudinally' extending scale and a longitudinally extending way, an arm extending at"riglit angles lto the base member and having a portion coperating with the way on the base member and also having an index for cooperating with tlie scale on the base member', a'tape j i-rovided with a scale, a guide ioller near the" inner en d of the arm'about which the `tape passed, and means at the outer end of the arm for shifting the tape.

lf. Aninstrumentof the class described comprising a base member provided with a longitudinally extending scale and a longitudinally extending way, an arm extending at right angles to the base member and having a portion coperating with the way on the base member and also having an index cooperating with the scale on the base memher,'a guide at the inner end of the arm, a

' tape provided with'a scale and passed about the guide to extend longitudinally of the arm," and a pair vof rollers at the outer end of' the 4arm for shifting the tape.

5# instrument "of the vclass described comprising a base member provided with a longitudinally extending scale, a longitudinally extending way, and a longitudinally extending straight edge, and an arm extending trom that side of the base member provided with the straight edge, said arm lying at right angles to the base member and having a longitudinally extending straight edge which has uncliaracterized graduations thereon and a portion coperating with the longitudinally extending Way on the base member and also having an index for cooperating witli the scale on the base member said arm carrying an adjustable scale containing characters arranged to coperate with the uncharacterized 'graduations to give value to the scale on the arm. l s

6. An instrument of the class described comprising a base member provided with a longitudinally extending scaleya longitudinally extending way and a longitudinally extending straight edge, an arm extending at right angles to and from that side ot the base Vinemher which is provided `with the straight edge, said aim being provided with a straight edge and carrying means for cooperating with the way on the base member and also cari-ying an index for coperation with the scale on the base member, a guide at theinner end of the'arm, a tape scale passed about said guide and extending longitudinally of the arm, and means at the outer' end of the arm for shifting the tape scale to canse the divisions thereof to bear a predetermined relation to the straight edge on the base member. 4

'7, An instrument of the class described comprising a base member provided with ai longitudinally extending way and a longitudinally extending straight edge` an adjustable s ale member arranged o-n the base member with its scales extending longitudinally of the basememb-er, an arm extending at right angles to and from that side of the base member which is provided with a straight edge having uncharacterized graduations thereon, said arm having a straight edge and carrying a portion for cooperating with a longitudinally extending guide and an index for cooperation with the scale on the base member, and an adjustable scale member carried by the arm containing characters arranged to cooperate with the uncharacterized graduations to give value to the scale on the arm. i

S. An instrument of the class described comprising ay base member provided with a longitudinally extending guide and a longitudinally extending straight. edge`A a cylinder rotatable on the base member about an axis extending parallel with the straight edge, said cylinder being provided with longitudinally extending scales, any one of which may hc brought to operative position, an arm extcijidingat right angles to and ipo from that side of the base member which is provided With a straight edge, said arms being provided with a straight edge and earrying a portion cooperating with the longitudinally extending guide on the base member and an index for coperating with the scale on the base member, a guide on the inner end of the arm, a pair of rollers at the outer end of the arm and a tape scale having its ends connected to the rollers, said tape 10 EDWARD A. ZORSCH.

Vitnesses:

HAROLD H. SIMMS, ADA M. WHITMORE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

